1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to side rear view mirrors and more particularly pertains to a new side rear view mirror device for providing lighting thereon for aiding the visibility of the driver and others.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of side rear view mirrors is known in the prior art. More specifically, side rear view mirrors heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art side rear view mirrors include U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,348; PCT Patent No. WO 97/15471 (Inventors: O'Farrell et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,758; U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,605; U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,198; U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,494; and EPO Patent No. EP 0 536 453 A1 (Inventor: Han).
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new side rear view mirror device. The inventive device includes a housing with a cover lens covering a front opening in the housing. The cover lens has an upper lens and a lower lens. The upper lens of the cover lens is generally transparent while the lower lens of the cover lens has a translucent colored front region and a generally transparent bottom region. A reflector member is provided in the interior of the housing, the reflector member has upper and lower reflector portions. Upper and lower light sources are also provided in the interior of the housing. The upper light source is mounted to the upper reflector portion while the lower light source is mounted to the lower reflector portion.
In these respects, the side rear view mirror device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing lighting thereon for aiding the visibility of the driver and others.